The Royal Navy's first HMS Hermes to support aviation carried three seaplanes into its 1913 exercises. The force working with her performed much better than its opponent because it could see more of the exercise and pass useful reconnaissance to commanders. The result made the operational value of naval aviation difficult to dismiss. It also pushed the Navy toward better seaplane carriers while safe shipboard recovery systems for conventional aircraft were still undeveloped.
Notable Point · 34:04-35:21
HMS Hermes proved seaplane reconnaissance in fleet exercises
The converted cruiser HMS Hermes demonstrated in 1913 that a fleet supported by seaplanes could gain a major reconnaissance advantage.